Paradise -Tactics-
by Dakk Tribal
Summary: After getting lost in a trip through the forest, the former queen Ovelia and Ramza Beoulve both wake up on a mysterious island and not sure where they are. While Ramza tries to find a way off the island, Ovelia is not sure she wants to go back and it's up to Ramza to cheer her up, something he is rather inadequately prepared for. / RamzaOvelia fluff, maybe a lemon later
1. Chapter 1

'What is that sound...?'

Ovelia opened her eyes and at first all she saw was white until her eyes adjusted to the brightness of her surroundings. The warmth of the air followed next and as her senses returned to normal she slowly sat up. Indeed she heard something she had not heard in a long while.

Waves, signifying the ocean. She had not heard that sound since she had fled to the nation of Romanda. Yet the waves were both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.

Yet as she peered around the room she came to realize that that wasn't the only thing she didn't recognize.

The room was she was in was not her own. It was a large room with white walls and a white ceiling, and the carpet was a deep red and thick in material, reminding her of the carpets in Lesalia Castle.

There were multiple windows along the far wall and a pair of balcony doors were open and the white curtains were swaying in the gentle breeze. The sound of the waves no doubt came from beyond the doors, but the former queen could also smell the scent of salt water. Upon further inspection the young woman noticed that she was sitting on a fluffy white bed that was extremely comfortable to the touch.

Reluctantly moving out of the bed, Ovelia's bare feet touched the carpet and it sent a shiver up her spine. She wore a simple white day dress tied at her waist with a red sash and her blond hair was tied in a low tail in the back. She took a few steps towards the open doors when a figure stepped through them, nearly scaring her half to death.

She calmed considerably when she saw who it was. "Ramza?"

The taller young man looked at Ovelia, "I see you have awoken, Ovelia. Are you well?"

She nodded once, "I am, thank you, and while I am glad to see a familiar face I must ask...where are we?"

The Beoulve man took a few steps forward and set his hand on the wooden table that was in the center of the room. "That I do not know but from what I have seen from the outside, we seem to be on an island, though I cannot say which."

Confused, Ovelia went to the open doors and promptly stepped outside and found herself on a balcony. There she was met with the most beautiful sight she had ever seen in her young life. She had been right about the ocean, but the water was not the dark blue of the Romandan Sea but a lighter shade of blue and crystal clear. White sand beaches complimented the water as did the lush green forest that went deeper into the island. A single mountain was in the middle of the forest.

Nothing in her mind could answer Ovelia's most burning question of where she and Ramza had found themselves in.

Ramza came up behind her, "It is an island, but not one I have ever visited before."

Ovelia silently agreed, and while she appreciated the beauty of the scene before her, she felt a bit out of place considering she didn't know how she and Ramza had arrived in this tropical paradise. "You believe we got here by magick? I do not think we got here by making a wrong turn."

Her last sentence wasn't humorous in the least, but Ramza knew that. He himself could not answer how they had gotten on the island. The last thing he remembered was that he and Ovelia had gone through a forest on their way to a merchant town to buy food and after stopping to rest for the night he woke up and found himself in the room with Ovelia sleeping on a bed and him on the floor.

Strange didn't even begin to describe how he was feeling when the first thing he noticed was the paradise outside.

There was one thing Ramza did know. "Whatever trick this is, I know not how to get out of it..."

"Can't think on an empty stomach, kupo!"

Ramza and Ovelia turned, with the young man standing in front of the woman protectively as a strange little animal pushed a silver cart into their view. It had somehow snuck up on them and Ramza silently chided himself for lowering his guard.

"What are you?"

The little creature had white fur and a red pom-pom bobbing at its head, it looked like a little bear with whiskers as it started to serve what it had brought on its cart and put it on the table. "My name is Moglie, kupo! I'm the best moogle in Mog's Resort, so don't worry, you're in the best of paws, kupo!"

The creature's enthusiasm was something of an oddity to Ramza but to Ovelia she couldn't help but feel like she had heard of a this creature before...

Then she remembered from a book she had read at Orbonne Monastery.

"You're a moogle, aren't you?"

Ramza seemed confused. Not of what she had asked but of what she was implying. Even from his days as a toddler he had heard of moogles as nothing but legends. "Moogles? I thought they had gone extinct in Ivalice ages ago?"

The moogle seemed shocked at his words, "That's the story where you're from, kupo? Have to say that I have never heard of Ivalice in all honesty kupo."

Coming from behind the knight Ovelia quietly went up to the table and she saw what the moogle was serving. All sorts of food that would make anybody's mouth water. Meats and vegetables and even some cakes that made her belly growl with hunger. "This is for us?"

The moogle nodded once, "Yup, as new customers of the resort you get free breakfast and dinner for as long as you stay, kupo. Help yourselves!"

Ovelia liked the idea even though she still didn't understand what was going on she was still hungry and needed to eat something.

Ramza seemed to like the idea as well, and in his mind he could ask the moogle anything he wanted later. He needed to eat first.

* * *

A/N: This story takes place in an alternate timeline where Ovelia escaped from Delita with Ramza and they've been living together ever since.


	2. Chapter 2

Even with the freedom to leave the room once they had finished the meal Ovelia was slightly hesitant to do so. The island's beauty was enough to make anyone want to go out and explore it but given the mysterious circumstances of her arrival here she couldn't help but feel a bit afraid.

She stood near the open balcony doors looking out at the beach below, and felt the warmth of the sun even though she wasn't standing directly in the rays. It had been a long time since she had felt such heat, what with living in the cold far reaching climate of Romanda for nearly a year, and she was rather enjoying it if she were to be honest.

'Still...how did we get here... ?'

She couldn't let that lingering question out of her mind, even as the moogles hospitality seemed honest enough.

"Ovelia?"

Ramza's voice brought the former princess back to the room and she turned to him, "Yes?"

"You feeling well? You've hardly said a word since you woke up."

Sighing lightly, Ovelia turned to Ramza, "I'm well enough, though the fact we are on an island with no idea as to how we got here still worries me."

Nodded Ramza crossed his arms over his chest, "I understand that feeling. I was thinking of asking the moogles during the tour."

Ovelia blinked, "Tour?"

"Since they've given us a room the moogle offered us a tour of the island. Would you like to come along?"

"Ramza, how can you agree so quickly to their request? I would expect a bit of caution on your part," she replied before closing the doors.

"Truth be told I feel no ill will from them, and even if we were to further suspect malicious intent, we have nothing to defend ourselves with. We're at their mercy regardless if we agree to their request or not," Ramza explained, his left hand absent mindedly going to his hip where his sword would normally be though it had been missing since the moment he had awoke.

In her mind Ovelia agreed in pretty much every aspect of what Ramza had said, and while she was hesitant to wander outside she still felt the need to honor their hosts for their hospitality. She agreed with the request, "Then I will go along on this tour."

Going downstairs soon after Ramza and Ovelia met up with the moogles down in the lobby. The building was intricately detailed with white walls and red carpets. Everything was big even though there was only two floors in the resort and the kind of machinery Ramza had seen in certain parts of the resort reminded him of some of the ruins from Goug with their complicated designs and many gears.

The number of moogles they saw on the way outside numbered over a dozen, but eventually the smaller moogle led them to the back of the resort that led to a thick jungle.

The little creature stopped short on the path that led into the jungle, "I just want to warn you both that the humidity is thick in the jungle, so a change needs to be made before we go any further."

Ramza wiped the sweat from his brow, "What do you mean a change is called for?"

"Whoops, I meant a change of clothes for you and your lady friend, kupo," said the moogle.

Ramza hadn't taken that into account until he peered over at Ovelia. The amount of sweat that had already covered him made his tunic stick to his skin, and the long sleeved dress that Ovelia was wearing had a similar effect on her. It was making her extremely uncomfortable but out of respect for her hosts she had not said a word.

"Well, lucky for you Mr. Mog has granted you clothes to wear for your duration at the resort, kupo," said the moogle. Two other moogles floated up to him, each carrying a brown paper package.

They gave the packages to the two visitors and Ovelia bowed her head appreciatively, "Thank you all for your hospitality."

The moogle responded with a nod, "Changing rooms are over there, kupo. When you're done you can go wherever you want, just please stay out of trouble, kupo."

The two other moogles led the way to the changing rooms, which were just a pair of small huts behind a wooden souvenir shack.

Ramza started to change slowly when he got inside but the moment he closed the door the humidity shot up and he had trouble breathing even though there were openings in the doorway to help circulate the air. So he hurried and when he got out he felt much better. He changed into a blue short sleeved shirt and brown shorts that reached his knees. He remembered wearing such attire when he had been a young boy in Igrose, but when he had been forced to move to Romanda the cold weather eliminated such attire.

He was just glad to be somewhat cooled off now, though he still sweated like he had just run a marathon. "This humidity is unbearable..."

The door from Ovelia's hut creaked as it opened and Ramza turned to see the former princess walk on out. She wore a dress, a much more appropriate one at that. It was a white dress covered in violet flower patterns with a skirt that reached her ankles but was free flowing and a slit up her left side. It was strapless and left her arms bare, revealing slightly pale but otherwise flawless skin. Ovelia had also taken the time to fix her hair into a braided tail, hoping to keep her hair from getting in her face no doubt.

She saw Ramza looking at her and bashfully put her arms across her chest, looking away from him. She had never worn such a revealing dress before today and the blush that went over her cheeks was a clear give away on how embarrassed she was. "Do not stare, please..."

Respectfully Ramza turned away, "My apologies, Ovelia."

She turned back to look at him but avoided looking into his eyes, "I trust we are ready to head out then?"

The Beoulve man nodded once, "Yes, we'll follow the path the moogle had suggested to us, see what is out there."

The woman stepped down from the hut and slowly walked past Ramza, avoiding eye contact but Ramza saw how red her face was, though for the life of him didn't know what the reason could be.

The path the moogle had told them to follow led up a small hill surrounded by thick trees and was preceded by a small calm stream. Signs along the road read 'FOLLOW THE STREAM TO REACH THE LAGOON".

"There's a lagoon up here?" Said Ovelia as she walked a few paces in front of Ramza.

"I would not be surprised if that were the case." replied Ramza as he passed her. Having seen a great many things in his own travels, a lagoon in a tropical island wasn't out of the question. He saw another sign with an arrow pointing further up the hill. "It shall not be much further now." He offered his hand to Ovelia.

Ovelia took his offered hand he helped her along the steep hill, and while they went up Ramza couldn't help but feel her grip tighten on his fingers as they reached the top.

Once they had reached the top, Ovelia heard the waterfall before she actually saw it. The sight that came before her was breathtaking. The waterfall seemingly reached into the sky along a large rock formation. At the base of the waterfall was a dark blue pool of water surrounded by small smooth rocks and from what she could see a cave was located behind the waterfall.

The added jungle and small sandy shores along the lagoon added to the beauty.

"Wow..." she said aloud letting Ramza's hand go finally to take a few steps forward. Even from where she stood she could feel a light mist of the water coming from the waterfall.

Ramza was feeling the same way about the natural beauty of the lagoon, and he admired it before he went to take a look around the surrounding area while letting Ovelia go off on her own in the immediate area. He soon found a sign near the edge of the water and it had a paragraph description that he read aloud.

"Spiral Lagoon, a cold fresh water sanctuary said to be the home of the eidolon Sylph, whose fairies were said to bring peace to the island in the aftermath of storms. Her magick is what gives this lagoon its special lights. Be here at night to witness the magick."

As he finished reading the sign, Ovelia found out the hard way about how cold the water actually was. She had heard Ramza say it was cold and out of curiosity she stuck her foot just below the water's surface and she got the shock of her life.

She pulled her foot out of the water, swearing it was numb when she did, "Blast that's cold!"

Ramza gave a small humorous smile. He would have done the same thing were he in her shoes. "It says that the lagoon is fresh water...odd since we are on an island in the middle of the ocean."

Kneeling down Ovelia looked at her reflection in the water, "There must be a form of magick going on somewhere." She carefully stuck a couple of her fingers into the water, shivering as she did so before pushing her whole hand under the surface. All the skin on her body got gooseflesh instantly.

Ramza got up close to her, having to do so since the waterfall made talking at a distance impossible. He didn't speak right away though, instead watching Ovelia take a drink of the water from her cupped palm.

"How is it?" He asked curiously.

The former princess finished her drink and her eyes instantly lit up, "Best I have ever tasted!"

She reached down with both hands this time to get more, but she couldn't fold her hands together to get much before it reached her lips. She tried twice but her frustration grew by the time she tried a third time. "Blast it..."

Going with actions and not words Ramza reached down to the water and made a cup like Ovelia had with his hands. Unlike her attempts however his was twice as much and remained full, having had to practice multiple times during the Lion War. He offered her the water, "Here."

Looking at the water he offered and then into his eyes, Ovelia asked, "How should I take it?"

He offered her the water, "Just put your lips to my hands and sip it out."

Were he a bit more attentive Ramza would have noticed the slight flush on Ovelia's cheeks. She had never done this before.

Still her thirst overpowered her nervousness and leaned into Ramza's hands until her lips found their mark on the water. One of her hands held back her hair while the other rested against Ramza's hands. His skin was much warmer to her cold hands, despite him holding the water for her.

When she finished she stood up while her hands rested on her bare stomach, ""Thank you Ramza."

It took a moment for Ramza to stand back up, "Of course."

"No, not just for that, I meant for everything you have done for me in the past. I do not think I can ever thank you enough for it all..." she bowed her chin slightly in gratitude. When she raised her head and saw that he gave her a friendly smile the former royal felt her heart flutter slightly.

"I didn't want any more harm to come to you," was his response. No man, save for the rare times Delita had been kind to her, had ever treated her with such kindness. It had always been about royalty or politics whenever she had been previously addressed. All that ended when she had tried to murder Delita in revenge for all that he had used her for in his quest for power. She had almost died in return, but from there Ramza had saved her. He took her away from Ivalice with his sister Alma, and she hoped to forget about her past life.

Moving her body slightly Ovelia crossed her arms over her chest, and she felt two hardened nubs under her top. She soon found that sometime during their conversation her right foot had slipped into the water and she hadn't noticed it. She mentally gasped, hoping Ramza had not noticed her predicament though she had a feeling he was more of a gentleman than she gave him credit for. Still, she felt the heat rise to her cheeks and she became very flustered. She didn't want to create anymore awkward situations for herself, "I need some sun to warm me up."

She had blurted that out and Ramza didn't suspect anything. "So do I, let's head back down to the beach." He once again offered her his hand.

Her eagerness to get moving got Ovelia in such a hurry she didn't notice that the bottom of her skirt got under her foot when she took the first step. She lost traction and fell forward. "Ah!"

Ramza had not been prepared for her colliding with him and he too lost his footing and fell onto his back on the sand. Ovelia's chest collided with Ramza's and she bounced once on the initial impact. She groaned but her main concern was Ramza, "You alright?"

His arms to his sides Ramza nodded once. The back of his head had hit the sand with a heavy thud but he had been hit worse in the past. "I'll be fine. What about you?"

In a scene out of a romantic novel Ovelia became stiff as a statue as her chest was pressing against Ramza's while the young man was unable to move below her. The cloth of her top did little to hide the effects the cold air had on her body and she was ashamed of herself, even if it was well beyond her control.

Ovelia took a gulp of air, wanting to run away screaming and yet she was unable to move.

Ramza on the other hand had another problem and this one was more or less his own downfall. The way they had fallen left little time for the young man to cushion his fall, and so when he landed he didn't move. The end result had been one of his legs had gone between Ovelia's and she had pretty much been riding his leg.

So, both were stuck and unable to move in a very intimate but awkward situation. To add to the situation the two locked eyes and from there had a staring contest where no one could possibly win.

"There you are, kupo!"

The sound of the moogle approaching had taken both of them by surprise and they both turned to see it approach.

"I've been looking all over for you two-oh, I'm not interrupting anything am I, kupo?"


	3. Chapter 3

"Curfew is in effect, Mister Mog, and all the guests are in the hotel, kupo."

The staff of the resort was finishing up their rounds, putting papers away and cleaning up the desks while making sure everything was ready for the following morning. There was even a moogle checking the weather forecast for the next seven days, making sure the weather was in optimal conditions for a tropical vacation.

Mister Mog was floating around with his entourage of smaller moogles getting updates from them. For one moogle to run a resort was indeed a daunting challenge Mog didn't show any signs of stress at the job. He had been running it for a very long time, and had yet to run into something that would drive him nuts. Save for Kupo Nuts, that is.

He checked off a request form another moogle had offered him and moved onto another pressing matter. "By the way, I heard that the rocks behind the waterfall are cracking, kupo."

The smaller moogle named Mooge nodded, "Yes sir, kupo! Seems the gradual disintegration of the water on the rocks is making it crack."

"Why hadn't I been notified of this before? This could pose a threat to our guests, kupo!"

"We only discovered it today, kupo! A few guests notified us of rocks falling in the lagoon and we inspected it later in the afternoon. We plan to block off a section of the lagoon as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of everyone, kupo. After that we will begin working to make it stable again."

Mog sighed, "Well, least we found it before it crashed. Things could be a lot worse, kupo."

The two moogles then heard squeaking that gave them the impression that something was off. The moogle behind the large computer screen was going bonkers. So much so that his pom-pom looked like it would fly off any moment, "Mister Mog! We have a problem, kupo!"

Quickly the moogles all gathered around the desk but moved out of Mog's way when he approached, "What is it, kupo?" Going through his mind was all sorts of calamitous problems that could be the problem: ships discovering the island, an eidolon emerging from within the island, or even a swarm of vegetarian bugs that could eat the island's vegetation all went through his mind. However, none of those turned out to be the problem.

The smaller moogle brought a picture of a nasty looking storm heading towards the island, "It's terrible, kupo! Tropical storm fast approaching!"

The other moogles gave signs of panic but Mog remained steadfast.

"I see...and it doesn't look like it is going to miss us either, kupo..." There had been threats of tropical storms and hurricanes in the past but by multiple strokes of luck the resort had always been spared. This time the storm seemed to be heading right for it with no sign of diverting its path. What bothered Mog however was how fast the storm had formed; it was like it had come from out of nowhere.

"How long until it gets here, kupo?"

The moogle typed away at the keyboard and kept its eyes on the computer screen, "This time tomorrow night it will be at our doorstep, kupo. We should have visuals on it by sunrise though. We'll get the full force of it when it arrives, kupo!"

Another moogle approached the desk, "What should we do sir? We might have to lock down the island and keep everyone inside-"

Mog wasn't paying attention to anyone around him. Not out of panic or nervousness, the gears in his head were turning and protocols for such an event were beginning to be made in his mind.

He knew what needed to be done. "Nobody panic. I know what to do, kupo. It will take all night but we can do it, kupo."

Night approached far faster than Ovelia expected it to, not that she didn't welcome it after everything that had happened earlier.

'I need some space,' she thought as she entered her room, with Ramza close behind.

Ever since that awkward situation at the waterfall the two hadn't spoken a word to each other. For his credit Ramza had tried to approach the former princess but each time he did she would turn red and would turn away, so he didn't press the issue further than that.

Now, with the moogles self-imposed curfew, the two were now back in their room, and a surprise awaited them. A silver food cart, like the one that had delivered breakfast to them earlier, was next to the little wooden table in the center of the room. Not only that but two small stacks of clothes were on the table. One was black and the other white with pieces of parchment with Ramza and Ovelia's names on them, respectively.

Wasting no time Ovelia went up and grabbed her new clothes and ran to the bathroom, slamming the door behind her, all without saying a word to Ramza. He sighed. 'I want to apologize to her, but...she makes it hard to do so.'

The poor young man had never been good with handling those of the fairer sex and if one were to ask his little sister Alma the answer would be blunt. 'Alma's always told me that women just run right over me...'

Honestly he wanted to make it up to the former princess for making her uncomfortable earlier, but even with his pure intentions he didn't know how to do that.

He sighed again, his shoulders slumping forward in defeat. His mind began to think of what to do but all it came up with was a blank page. 'I'll have to think more on that in the morning.'

Hearing the bath water turn on in the bathroom, Ramza grabbed the stack of clothes he had been given by the moogles and went about getting changed.

It wasn't even twenty minutes and Ovelia was done with her bath and her hair was clean. Having had handmaidens around her for most of her life the former princess had to learn to take care of her herself following her escape to Romanda. According to Alma she had a lot to learn but was a quick study. She at least knew how to clean her hair properly, and it was now loose and went down her back.

Turns out the clothes the moogles had provided for her was rather unique for her tastes. Besides fresh undergarments Ovelia was given a white night gown. It wasn't too different from what she had worn back in her royal days, but this one was more extreme in that the back was mostly exposed and her shoulders were bare and it was strapless. By some feat of magick the garment was tight on her body and was snug without needing to tie it anywhere. The skirt of the dress went down to her ankles. It showed far more skin than she was used to, and even the attire she had worn on the beach made her feel less exposed than this outfit. But not wanting to disrespect the moogles-not to mention that she had nothing else to wear for bed-the princess gave in. The only saving grace in wearing the dress was it wasn't see through.

'It's better than nothing, right?'

She went to the door and went outside, still drying her hair and hoping that Ramza would be keeping to himself.

Turns out while she had been in the shower Ramza had taken the chance to change out of his swimming attire. He now wore black night pants and a matching black shirt, and when he heard the door open he turned and saw Ovelia.

Both of them locked eyes and for many long moments neither of them said a word. Ovelia's cheeks turned red while Ramza tried to hide the fact that the back of his neck was hotter than the sun.

"You look nice, Ovelia," said the soldier before taking a small gulp of air.

The princess responded by pretending to dry her face, rubbing the towel down her face and given a muffled response, though Ramza didn't know if she had said 'thank you' or 'same to you'.

As soon as she was done with that Ovelia tossed the towel into the clothes hamper nearby and went over to the table and sat down. Seeing the variety of food offered to her made her realize how hungry she actually was.

The silence was deafening and Ramza couldn't bear it. Silence was usually the prelude to an ambush on the battlefield, and in a civilian situation it meant something tense was going to go down. He didn't want to be caught in the wrong spot.

He went over and sat at the table as well and started to eat. "After this I think I will go to bed."

He spoke without thinking, but that was the point. He wanted to break the ice first.

Ovelia did the same, "Same here." She looked over at the bed. Large and fluffy, not to mention looking very comfortable, she wanted to lay down and sleep the night away after a full meal.

But as pleasant as that thought was, Ovelia took notice of a problem she hadn't noticed before.

"Um, Ramza...are we going to share the bed?"

Ramza stopped eating and placed the fork he had been using gently down on the plate in front of him. He turned back to the bed and ultimately came to the same conclusion as Ovelia had. There was indeed a problem there. For Ramza it wasn't much of one, has he had shared his bed with Alma when they were children and she had gotten scared at night. And being on the run they had to sleep in the same bed to save space and money. Ovelia had always had her own bed, and after she had married Delita they obviously had shared the same bed every night. However, when Ovelia had joined Ramza and Alma they had tried to give her space that she could call her own. This included giving her a bed of her own.

Obviously there was no such option now. Had there been another piece of furniture in the room like a couch or even a recliner Ramza would have gladly chosen one of those. Still, after quick thinking he finally came up with a solution.

"I'll just sleep on the floor. You can have the bed."

Ovelia blinked, "Are you sure? I mean the carpet feels soft and all but..."

Ramza shook his head, "I think it'd do us all some good sleeping separately, right?"

She couldn't argue with that. She nodded, giving into his suggestion. It was the first time all day that she had felt at ease. "Thank you Ramza."

Ramza smiled lightly. He was glad that she seemed to be more comfortable. Right after this a quick yawn came over him. "Well, we best better finish our meal before we fall asleep at the table."


	4. Chapter 4

Opening the doors that led to the balcony Ramza was met with less than pleasant wash of air.

'So much for a cool outside air,' he thought with utter disappointment. The air in the room he shared with Ovelia was more than a bit unbearable and so he had hoped opening the doors to let fresh air in would help the situation out.

Instead he was met with humid air and the unpleasant sight of a large storm system out in the distance. Black storm clouds complete with flashes of lightning and if one listened closely you could hear the rumble of thunder in the distance.

I wonder how long that will take to get here...

The former noble turned to the bed when he heard grumbling. He turned in time to see Ovelia sitting up in the bed. The blankets had been discarded sometime in the middle of the night, and had landed on Ramza as he slept on the floor. They were piled in a heap in the corner.

Ovelia, normally looking pretty no matter the situation, looked like she had slept little. Her skin was partially damp from the humidity and her long blonde hair was sticking to where ever the gown exposed her skin.

He expected a greeting from the former princess but instead her first words were a grumpy sounding, "Why is it so bloody hot in here?"

Such language from the woman surprised Ramza. He shook his head and walked over to the bed, "There is a storm on the horizon. That's my best guess."

Wiping the sweat from her forehead the girl yawned. Upon seeing the slightly darkened shadows under her eyes Ramza knew his earlier assumption about her lack of sleep proved to be correct. "A storm?"

Ramza pointed to the open doors, "It looks rather ominous. Not sure if it will hit us or not."

Getting up Ovelia walked over to the balcony, and Ramza saw that the gown stuck to her in all places, accentuating her curves to much more appealing levels. He tried not to stare to no avail.

He saw Ovelia's shoulders sag when she saw the storm approaching. "That indeed looks disturbing..."

"It could ruin the entire day if it heads here," said Ramza before he stretched his arms over his head.

"Oh it's on the way, kupo."

The third voice that surprised them both came from the main door. A moogle pushed his silver cart into the room. Neither Ramza nor Ovelia had heard the door open or close.

He pushed the cart to the table in the center of the room. "The storm will hit most likely by the end of the afternoon. So if you want to be outside I strongly suggest you do so before it gets here, kupo."

The cart was filled to the edges with a bountiful breakfast. Waffles shaped like moogles and chocobos covered in butter and syrup with a side of cereal and even a salad. Ramza thought that last one was a bit odd for a breakfast morsel.

"Even with the storm on the way I would hate to remain indoors the whole time before it gets here," said Ovelia as she rolled her head around her shoulders. Her neck was out of order, yet another effect of her hard sleep.

Ramza turned to the moogle, "Is there nothing we can do?"

The creature finished poring a glass of milk for Ramza and answered. "The only place I know that can be of any help on a day like this is the lagoon, kupo. The waterfall creates a mist that can, kid you not, shield you from the rays of the sun, kupo."

Ramza liked the sound of that. He turned to Ovelia, "The lagoon sounds like the best option."

The former princess immediately responded, "I agree." Though the incident from the day before was not lost on her she tried her hardest to not think about it. Though he hid it well Ramza tried to do the same. He personally hoped there would not be a repeat, his fortitude couldn't handle the awkwardness, even though he had enjoyed it to a degree.

The moogle finished serving them before he showed them a couple of bags. "These are your clothes for today, kupo. New swimsuits for each of you."

Ovelia immediately went and grabbed her bag and peered inside. "Hope this one is better than the last-" Her eyes went wide. "Oh..."

Ramza was curious at her reaction. "What's wrong?"

Ovelia's face went red, "Nothing!" She snatched the bag up and went right into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

Still confused Ramza didn't say a word.

The moogle seemed amused. "Well, I guess Mr. Mog chose a suit that got her flustered, kupo. He has a habit of doing that."

Breakfast went by without Ramza seeing Ovelia. When he had asked her if she was alright she told him to finish and that she'd meet him on the beach when she was ready. Taking her word to heart Ramza did as she suggested. He changed into his outfit, black and yellow shorts and a white shirt, and went to the beach outside the resort.

Immediately the sun hit him like a wall, the heat was unbearable and he instantly retreated to the shade of the tree line. The sand was just as bad, it felt like he was walking on the ground at Mt. Bervenia all over again, except there was no treasure on top of the mountain.

Sweat was already starting to form on his forehead. "This is terrible..." he said with disgust. He couldn't wait to get to the lagoon, but he wanted to wait for Ovelia who seemed to be taking her time. 'Her new outfit must have really disturbed her if it is taking her this long.'

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

Ramza turned back towards the resort and Ovelia made her presence known, and it was there that Ramza knew why it took her so long.

Her new swimsuit was more revealing than the previous day. It consisted of a two piece bikini colored crystal blue with thin red lining. The top was small enough to where it covered her chest perfectly and left everywhere else exposed down to her hips. The bottoms were not helping hide her figure either. The only source of help she got was a shear white jacket that was supposed to help protect her skin from the sun according to the moogles she had spoken to before she came outside.

Ovelia was beyond embarrassed and she was failing in trying to hide it, what with her face being so red the sun could only hope to rival how hot she felt. Both inside and out.

Ramza saw how scared and embarrassed she looked and hoped to cheer her up any way he could. "Ovelia-"

"Please don't comment on my looks...even if it is to make me feel better. I do not think I can handle it." She wrapped her arms around her chest defensively. She was going to have a long and stern chat with the moogles later about this ordeal. If she survived the day that is.

Hoping to keep her mind off of her outfit as much as possible Ramza spoke, "Let's head to the lagoon..."

The moogles had been right when they said the lagoon was the perfect place to stay on a hot day. There was a thin veil of mist created by the waterfall that helped protect them from the sun's rays. The mist also left a layer of dampness on their skin as well. This caused Ovelia's jacket to stick to her and after a few moments it looked less like a jacket and more like a second layer of skin.

She tossed her jacket to the side and for a moment let her guard down to bask in the coolness. "Ah...this feels pleasurable..."

Ramza sat down in the sand and looked up in the sky, and he saw a rainbow form. It arched over the entire lagoon. He agreed with Ovelia, "Close to paradise as I can believe."

Stretching her arms over her head Ovelia wished she could believe it was paradise, but she was still aching from her lack of sleep. She wasn't going to forget about that anytime soon and she wasn't going to be able to enjoy the day without that noticeable kink in her neck reminding her of that fact.

Sitting down on her knees in the sand near Ramza the former princess rolled her neck again trying to get some feeling back in it but to no avail. It still ached like crazy.

Ramza took notice, "You okay?"

She shook her head, "I slept hard as well as in a bad position. My neck hurts."

Seeing his chance to help her, even if it was risky, Ramza went into action. He moved to sit behind her.

Ovelia noticed. "What are you doing?"

"Ovelia, do you trust me?"

Why would he ask such a question? What did he have in mind to do? Ovelia didn't want to ask about trust. She had an immeasurable amount in him for all he had done for her in the past, there was no doubt about that.

"Of course I do, but what does that have to do with-"

She heard him take a deep breath and suddenly she felt his hands on her shoulders.

Instantly Ovelia's entire body went stiff. Her eyes went wide and her face went red. She couldn't even speak, afraid that she'd fall to pieces with a mere utterance.

Ramza knew he was treading uncharted territory by touching her in this way, but he had a reason. "Relax yourself, and I might be able to help you."

Though she kept herself quiet on the outside the woman was shouting on the inside. 'How in the world can I relax?!' In the past only one other person had ever touched her in such a way and she would rather forget about him.

But as she panicked on the inside she felt a sensation go along her neck and shoulders as Ramza's hands went along her sore and aching muscles. For such a warrior he had a surprisingly delicate touch. Immediately Ovelia relaxed her shoulders and even let out a sigh.

This went on for a few moments, the only sound being expressed was the waterfall in the distance. A peace that should not be disturbed. And it wasn't, not until Ramza asked her if she was feeling any better.

Ovelia spoke softly, "Where'd you learn how to do this?" His thumbs hit a sweet spot and her heart jumped.

"Alma taught me. When we were kids she and Tetra would play with Delita and me. Horse play got rough and she'd try too hard to be like the lads. So, I did this for her whenever she asked. She helped me refine the technique."

Humming lightly Ovelia felt him hit another sore spot, the one that had been bugging her all day. "She taught you well...you're very good with your hands..." She closed her eyes and let out a loud pleasurable sigh. Her eyes shot open when she did that, and she felt Ramza stop, his hands left her body.

The next few moments consisted of an awkward silence. Ramza was unable to respond to her compliment but Ovelia was ashamed that she had reacted to his touch in a sensual way.

Finally it was Ramza who broke the silence like a rock through glass. "I'm going to go get us refreshments."

Ovelia silently thanked the gods that he said that. "That'd be nice."

Taking a deep breath Ramza stood up and started to walk up the slope to the beach. This left Ovelia in the sand, and she immediately ran her hands over her shoulders, where she felt the lingering effect of what Ramza had done for her. She was grateful for what he had done.


	5. Chapter 5

The storm had begun to bear down on the island with force by the time dinner had been served, but it wasn't until after midnight that it went beyond fierce. The wind and rain wouldn't let up, shaking the building in each and every direction and yet the walls held. The moogles had said the building could take a supernova and survive, but it wouldn't be a quiet experience for the guests.

Thus Ramza lay on his side, looking right to the balcony doors where lightning constantly flashed like crazy. Thunder was few and far between but when it came the whole building shook.

'Worse than any storm I experienced in Ivalice,' thought the young man as he turned onto his other side. And it was when he finished moving he saw that Ovelia was huddled up with the covers up to her chin and looking like she was scared to death. Though her eyes remained closed, they were pressed together in an attempt to drown out the storm to little or no avail. The next rumble of thunder that came by caused her to whimper.

Reflexively Ramza put his arm around her shoulders, and he felt her shake under his touch.

"Be still princess, I will protect you..." he thought without hesitance. Like she had heard his words of assurance Ovelia stopped moving with only the steadiness of her breathing now all that Ramza knew she was calm. It wasn't until he had finished had he realized his words. 'I don't know what came over me...'

Thunder crashed seemingly above them and once again Ramza held onto Ovelia as if shielding her from the heavens themselves.

Was it because of his inherit thoughts as a warrior to protect his friends or family?

Or was it for some other, unknown intent?

Too tired to think on it Ramza couldn't help but feel his eye lids grow heavy. Somehow Ovelia laying up next to him was more comfortable than he could have thought. Yet, if it helped both of them sleep through this terrible storm, then all for the better.

Ramza soon feel asleep, and the storm held no sway over him once he was out.

The thundering wasn't what woke Ovelia up. The rain the pounded on the resort was heavy but it was just rain unenhanced by the wind. The sky was still dark grey but not the menacing black she had seen prior to going to bed.

What had woken her up was the heat she felt on her chest. It was small at first but soon she woke up to notice that Ramza was holding her to his chest and she would have panicked had it not felt comfortable.

Still she wiggled her way out of his embrace and Ramza lay on his back, fast asleep and Ovelia sat on her elbow, giving the young man an appreciative glance before sitting up in the bed. The gown she wore stuck to her body no doubt from the heat their bodies had made together and so Ovelia pushed the covers on her side down the mattress to cool off some. Then she laid back down, but remained right up next to the young man, resting her head on his chest before returning back to sleep.


End file.
